Thursday, November 18, 2010

Last year about this time, I learned that I love Brussels sprouts, and I've had them at least a dozen times since them. (I love vegetables in general, but these are damned tasty things!) I've only eaten Brussels sprouts that someone else has made me, though, so tonight I braved my own Brussels sprouts recipe. It turned out so very tasty I knew that I had to share it with you.

We got three bulbs of fresh, organic fennel in our produce box last week and I had heard from a coworker that fennel it was an amazing edition to Brussels sprouts. I had a goal in mind. I bought a bag of Trader Joe's Brussels sprouts that were "microwavable in 3 minutes" but opted not to follow that path. Instead, this is what I did.

Two things I will change for the next recipe, though, include buying absolutely fresh Brussels sprouts (just because I can) and cutting them in half before roasting them so that there is more seasoning on them.

Tomorrow I try my hand at Caldo Gallego as well as old-fashioned baked apples. If the recipes turn out well, I'll share those, too!

Monday, November 8, 2010

I've moved. Again. If this annoys you, I'm sorry. (Well, I'm not really, but I'm saying it hyped up on caffeine knowing that I'm doing the right thing for myself.) I go through phases like this, and I'm pretty sure it's how I lose people in my life. I'm good at losing people, things up, moving things around, backing off and pushing forward, just to give myself some solace. It's probably not the most healthy way of doing things, but sometimes you just need a little kick-start to recharge yourself and move ahead.

It's not that I'm ashamed of who I am, at all, but it's that sometimes a fresh start is the best way to make a big change and it's time to realign, rework and renew who I used to be, who I want to be, who I am.

Welcome to Inoculatted. [ih-nok-yuh-lah-teyd] Inoculatte is defined (by the oh-so-lovely Urban Dictionary) as the process of taking "coffee intravenously" (when you are running late). I rarely run late, but I love the idea of being inoculatted and OMG coffee coffee coffee. I metabolize coffee slowly (thank you genetic testing) and so any sort of coffee in the morning keeps me going all day long. Coffee in the afternoon, well, that's probably part of the reason I take a sleeping pill at night.

To me, being inoculatted can also happen when there isn't any caffeine in my system. Feeling refreshed, energized and ready to go are things I constantly strive for, but oftentimes fail to reach. I am rethinking my life choices at this point in time to create a continually (but not caffeine-based) inocullated state. I hope you'll pour yourself a cup and skip beside me.